In general, silver halide photographic light-sensitive material comprises an insulating plastic film support, on which there are provided a light-sensitive emulsion layer, antihalation layer, protective layer, intermediate layer, foundation layer and back coating layer. Therefore, silver halide light-sensitive material is easily charged with static electricity. Especially when the temperature is low, for example, in the winter, silver halide light-sensitive material is charged with static electricity while it is handled, so that problems may be encountered. For example, due to the progress of manufacturing technique of silver halide photosensitive material, the speed of coating and that of cutting are increased in the manufacturing process recently. Therefore, frictional electrification occurs. Further, the speed of film conveyance is remarkably increased in the photographing and processing of films. For this reason, problems are encountered when the films are electrostatically charged.
When photosensitive material is charged with static electricity, foreign objects such as dust are deposited on the surface of photosensitive material. Therefore, serious problems may occur on a developed image. In the case of a medical film, there is a possibility of making a wrong diagnosis. Further, due to the discharge of accumulated static electricity, fog referred to as a static mark is caused, and it becomes impossible to make a correct diagnosis.
In order to solve the above problems, antistatic agents are applied to silver halide photosensitive material. For example, a surface active agent of polyoxyethylene is generally used for the antistatic agent. However, when such a chemical compound is used, there is a possibility that streaks of development are caused due to quick processing. According to the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection (JP O.P.I. Publication) No. 142350/1988 in which a highly soluble surface active agent is used, the surface active agent is dissolved in the processing solution in the process of development and reacts with other substances in the solution, so that trubidness, sludge and streaks of development are caused.
In order to solve the above problems, Japanese Patent Examined Publication Nos. 49894/1985 and 16057/1986 disclose the following technique:
A support is used which has an undercoat layer having antistatic properties when the undercoat layer contains a metallic oxide. When the above support is used, even if an amount of the surface active agent of polyoxyethylene is reduced or made to be zero, the occurrence of streaks of development can be reduced without deteriorating the effect of preventing static marks.
However, even in the above method using a metal oxide, the following problem may be encountered:
When the temperature and the value of pH of the developing solution are raised and also an amount of the fog inhibitor is reduced for the purpose of increasing the processing speed, the occurrence of fog is increased.